General > General Technical Chat

Laser-ing the IC markings off on a budget.

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mnementh:

--- Quote from: SilverSolder on March 28, 2021, 08:25:17 pm ---
--- Quote from: mnementh on March 28, 2021, 07:33:16 pm ---[...] but what it really means is higher precision engineering, and engineering that is "just strong enough" not "10x over-engineered" because "Who cares, it's just cheap iron, and the car can carry it..."  [...]

--- End quote ---

This.   That approach is also what killed the motorcycle industry in the UK (precision made Japanese bonzai engine parts made lighter and much higher performing machines).  There is no doubt that Western car makers got a big wake-up call from the East, after sleeping at the switch for a long time.

I've happily bought North American cars for the last 20 years, they have been very reliable and decently economical too, without setting world records.


--- Quote ---[...]  forced American manufacturers to abandon big V8s [...]

--- End quote ---

The big V8s are still here, but they live in pickup trucks and performance cars only,  not in Granny's grocery getter.   Do you remember the days when Granny's Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight could get 40 feet of rubber leaving the idyllic suburban setting?  What a waste!  :D
--- End quote ---

As long as you understand that even the NA-built cars are mostly manufactured from imported parts, I have no problem with that... tho I've sworn to never buy a new GM vehicle since they axed Saturn and declared bankruptcy to get out from under having to pay back the money they stole from duly-earned employee pension plans. Fucking undead vampire corporation, like Hostess. :palm:

No, the big V8s are gone... replaced by much smaller, lighter and more efficient designs. The V8s you're talking aboot are the size a V-6 used to be, and even the big V10 Viper engine is smaller and lighter than any old big-block V8 (383, 455, 427, 396, 440, 500, etc) from back in the day.

Progress is good... and it means my stash of seasoned big-blocks might actually be worth some serious money someday... or maybe even become a father-son project of real value.  ;D

mnem
 :popcorn:

SilverSolder:

--- Quote from: mnementh on April 01, 2021, 04:19:49 pm ---
--- Quote from: SilverSolder on March 28, 2021, 08:25:17 pm ---
--- Quote from: mnementh on March 28, 2021, 07:33:16 pm ---[...] but what it really means is higher precision engineering, and engineering that is "just strong enough" not "10x over-engineered" because "Who cares, it's just cheap iron, and the car can carry it..."  [...]

--- End quote ---

This.   That approach is also what killed the motorcycle industry in the UK (precision made Japanese bonzai engine parts made lighter and much higher performing machines).  There is no doubt that Western car makers got a big wake-up call from the East, after sleeping at the switch for a long time.

I've happily bought North American cars for the last 20 years, they have been very reliable and decently economical too, without setting world records.


--- Quote ---[...]  forced American manufacturers to abandon big V8s [...]

--- End quote ---

The big V8s are still here, but they live in pickup trucks and performance cars only,  not in Granny's grocery getter.   Do you remember the days when Granny's Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight could get 40 feet of rubber leaving the idyllic suburban setting?  What a waste!  :D
--- End quote ---

As long as you understand that even the NA-built cars are mostly manufactured from imported parts, I have no problem with that... tho I've sworn to never buy a new GM vehicle since they axed Saturn and declared bankruptcy to get out from under having to pay back the money they stole from duly-earned employee pension plans. Fucking undead vampire corporation, like Hostess. :palm:

No, the big V8s are gone... replaced by much smaller, lighter and more efficient designs. The V8s you're talking aboot are the size a V-6 used to be, and even the big V10 Viper engine is smaller and lighter than any old big-block V8 (383, 455, 427, 396, 440, 500, etc) from back in the day.

Progress is good... and it means my stash of seasoned big-blocks might actually be worth some serious money someday... or maybe even become a father-son project of real value.  ;D

mnem
 :popcorn:

--- End quote ---

I am all for big blocks,  but there has been some progress with engines...   the base Mustang engine is a 2.3-liter four-cylinder with 330 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque - which would have been in big block territory back in the day, pretty amazing when you think of it!

The "small" V8 in the supercharged Mustang is good for 700hp, there was no equivalent in the big block world (factory stock of course).  You can still get 25mpg if driven carefully (although who would? for how long? :D )   - a big block is never going to make it out of the teens...

It is completely crazy that you can go to your local dealer and buy a factory made hot rod off the lot, but that is entirely possible today...  Great time to be alive!   :D

james_s:

--- Quote from: SilverSolder on April 01, 2021, 05:47:51 pm ---It is completely crazy that you can go to your local dealer and buy a factory made hot rod off the lot, but that is entirely possible today...  Great time to be alive!   :D

--- End quote ---


It's impressive by any measure, but unfortunately rather boring. Half the fun of owning a car like that is customizing and upgrading it to make it your own. It's fun to get the incremental improvements, and there used to be all kinds of cool stuff you could do to a car. Now they're pretty much maxed out right from the factory, there's not much room to tweak anything. Hard to really make use of a car with hundreds of horsepower these days anyway, driving isn't nearly as fun as it used to be, there are too many cars on the road and too many disengaged idiots who are more focused on their phone than on where they're going.

SilverSolder:

--- Quote from: james_s on April 01, 2021, 08:40:14 pm ---
--- Quote from: SilverSolder on April 01, 2021, 05:47:51 pm ---It is completely crazy that you can go to your local dealer and buy a factory made hot rod off the lot, but that is entirely possible today...  Great time to be alive!   :D

--- End quote ---


It's impressive by any measure, but unfortunately rather boring. Half the fun of owning a car like that is customizing and upgrading it to make it your own. It's fun to get the incremental improvements, and there used to be all kinds of cool stuff you could do to a car. Now they're pretty much maxed out right from the factory, there's not much room to tweak anything. Hard to really make use of a car with hundreds of horsepower these days anyway, driving isn't nearly as fun as it used to be, there are too many cars on the road and too many disengaged idiots who are more focused on their phone than on where they're going.

--- End quote ---

You don't have to drive super fast to enjoy driving...  top down on a convertible, or sunroof, or at least all the windows down...  some good tunes...  some twisty roads...  it is hard to be in a bad mood when you come home again.  The 120hp in a Miata can leave you feeling just as satisfied as a 500hp muscle car, in each their own way.

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